Swimming & Diving Travels to Florida for Annual Training Trip

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The men's and women's swimming and diving teams are on their annual team trip in Palm Beach, Fla. this week. The teams will be taking part in various practices and excercises each day, while also taking some time to enjoy the warm weather. Check back each day for a new update from each class!

Day 1 - Saturday, Jan. 6 | Senior Women

Today we began our fourth and final training trip with a4 amwake-up call, which included a treacherous walk up to the Luth Complex in -20 degree weather. The only thing that got us through that walk was knowing that we would soon be in Florida’s warm weather, training with our motivated and dedicated teammates. We took off to Logan Airport at5 amfor an8 amflight, all the while reflecting on our bittersweet feelings about our last trip. Obviously we are excited to spend a week in Florida working hard and improving our strokes, but it is hard to believe that this time came so quickly. Once we finally found Barry in the airport, we boarded our plane and anxiously waited for takeoff. While some teammates watched movies and caught up on much-needed sleep, others grasped at the opportunity to begin a week of bonding and team building throughout the flight.

After about an hour and a half drive from the Miami airport up to Palm Beach we grabbed a quick bite to eat and a power nap before our first practice. We arrived at our gorgeous hotel which is huge and our rooms are so spacious! After a quick recharge, we walked to the pool and hopped in for practice. It was a tad chilly unfortunately due to this crazy cold spell we’re having in Florida. The weather forecast is looking hopeful with warm weather coming our way. It was pretty crazy as we finished the first practice to realize that us seniors only have a month left of swimming on this amazing team. We have had three great training trips full of hard work and team bonding and we are all excited for our last one to finish off our careers in the best way possible. Big dinners were in store for all of us tonight after a long travel day and early bedtimes too! We are all ready for a week of great training!

Xoxo,

The Senior Girls

Day 1/2 - Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 6-7 | Senior Men

Our first day of training trip started at 4 am. It was a miserable morning until we got a nice pick me up from Mrs. Mueller and Mrs. Williams’ goodie bags, which included Advil, sunblock, and burn medication that some of our paler teammates will sorely need. The airport was hectic and the flight attendant kept asking if the old man on board (Coach Parenteau) was checked in and knew where he was. Thankfully, our trainer Lindsay accompanied us on the trip, which will keep our fearless leaders, Barry and Jeff, in line. Shockingly enough when we got to Miami there was actually a bus ready and waiting for us. When we walked into the hotel we were immediately blown away: there were swans swimming in the pond in the lobby and an all-you-can-eat breakfast. The rooms are all very spacious with pull out couches, a small kitchen, and a nice table for Publix family dinners. Once we were settled in to our rooms and unpacked, we headed over to our first practice of the week. Luckily, the pool this year was heated and tolerable to jump into in this frigid and harsh Florida climate. The pool also sported a rock wall, which John Williams might lose his mind over since he’s not here. Some of our freshmen forgot about the powerful sunrays and are sporting some fresh burn lines. We had a solid first day of practice and we are looking forward to what the week, and the Barry monster, has in store for us.

Day 2 - Monday, Jan. 8 | Junior Women

On Monday morning we were lucky enough to sleep in because instead of having doubles, we had our relay meet against the other college teams on training trips in the area. We enjoyed breakfast at the hotel before we headed over to the pool for the meet. Our relays did really well and spirits remained high despite the cold weather and heavy rain! The meet was a combination of free and stroke relays, and the coaches were diligent in recording our times for us to use as we head into the latter part of our season. After the meet was over, we did our timed set for the week, which was either an 800 IM or a 1500 freestyle. Both groups were in and out with fast times so we could hurry back to the hotel and warm up!

After lunch and a little rest, it had warmed up and the sun was shining so some of us went to lay by the pool, and the rest went to the nearby Palm Beach Zoo for the afternoon to celebrate our teammate Andrew’s birthday. They got some awesome photos of the tigers, koalas, and flamingos! After dinner, our trainer Lindsay (who was kind enough to join us on this trip) took some of us to get gelato down the road. When we got back, some of us got together to watch the Bachelor before heading to bed before another early morning practice.

Thanks again to all of the parents and alumni who helped make this trip possible for us. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Best,

The Junior Ladies

Day 5 | Sophomore Women

After four days of working hard twice a day at the pool, we finally got our well deserved day off. We had a delicious breakfast at the hotel and everyone was getting excited as we realized we were going to have perfect weather for our beach day. The front desk at the hotel was nice enough to lend us chairs and boogie boards to make the most of our trip to the beach. Coaches Barry and Jeff, Trainer Lindsey and Coach Steve Napoli of Holy Cross Men’s Golf were nice enough to drive us. Per Coach Napoli’s suggestion, we made our way to Riviera Beach, just a short drive from the hotel. The beach was beautiful, the sun was shining, the water was clear and the waves were big. As the morning went on, the waves got bigger and we all had fun in the surf. Even Coach Barry joined in on the boogie board! We also experienced the amazing Floridan wildlife when we saw a manatee swimming in the ocean, and tried our best to avoid the jelly fish. We enjoyed walked on the beaches and sunbathing, and some of us may have even gotten a little too much sun. As the day at the beach came to a close, we were all sad to see it end but feeling lucky to have had such a memorable day at the beach with our team. This fun day helped us relax and get ready to concentrate on swimming again tomorrow.

xoxo,

The Sophomore Women

Day 6 | Freshman Women

Our first training trip was one we will never forget. For many of us it was our first training trip ever and it was such a great experience. Along with countless practices, we also enjoyed some downtime in the Palm Beach Gardens area. Our week included a trip to the zoo, Singer Island Beach, and a lot of team bonding.Early in the week, we had a relay meet and a timed 800 IM/1500 Free, giving us the chance to race and see where we’re at. Afterwards, we took Andrew Magel, another freshman, to the zoo for his birthday. Our coach Jeff was kind enough to shuttle us to the Palm Beach Garden Zoo. There we fed birds and saw animals such as koalas, tigers, and otters. When we got back, all the freshmen girls went to Outback Steakhouse for a team dinner. Thursday we were blessed with a day off from double practices and luckily, it was a beautiful day. We shuttled over to the beach as soon as possible, all desperate to get tan and swim in the ocean, even Barry. We surfed waves, played volleyball, and took lots of pictures. Our day was cut short by a sudden downpour (welcome to Florida). After a day at the beach, the team is currently divided as the tan and the burnt. Through watching the Bachelor and Game of Thrones together, along with the countless adventures, our freshmen class bonded with each other as well as the upper classmen. To our surprise, the pool was 8 lanes as opposed to our usual 6, which was a luxury and also gave us the chance to swim with different people. After a week of doubles, we all feel prepared and excited for the rest of our season knowing we put in a lot of hard work. We are looking forward to the next three years and can’t wait to see what they have in store for us.